Tool-sharpening gage



B. KLEIN.

TOOL SHARPENING GAGE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1920 Patented Apr. 12,1921.

5-282. A vm UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

BENJAMIN KLEIN, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

'roon-snanrnnrne GAGE.

Specification of Letters Pate t.

Patented Apr 12, 19 21.

. Application filed June .18, 1920. Serial No. 389,822.

; useful Improvements in Tool-Sharpening Gages, of which the followingis a specification. 1 i

This invention relates to tool sharpening gages.

It relates particularly to a gage for holding shears or other cuttingtools at the proper angle to the abrading surface. 7

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a gage by which thetool may be drawn over the abrading surface and which will maintain thetool at the proper angle to the abrading surface.

Other objects are to provide a gage which is simple and inexpensive andinto which the tool may be readily inserted.

The gage comprises, in general, a tool holder, preferably formed from asingle piece of metal, having jaws between which the tool is gripped andhaving a plane surface, for sliding contact with the abrading surface,whereby the tool is maintained at the proper angle regardless of theamount of abrasion.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawings,wherein Figure 1 is a perspective of one form of gage.

Fig. 2 is a top plan thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a modified form of gage.

Fig. 5 is a top plan of the modified gage, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical, longitudinal section thereof.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 will first be described.

The gage is formed of a single strip of spring metal, such as steel. Thebody of the strip is bent into a substantially U Y shaped loop having aflat top 10 and a similar, parallel flat bottom or base 11. Top 10serves as a handle for drawing the gage and the toolcarried therebyalong the abrading surface 12, which may be a hone, strop or otherdevice. Base 11 forms a plane surface for engaging the abrading surface.The base maintains the gage in a substantially vertical positionrelative to theabrading surface and insures that the proper relation ismaintained between the abrading-surface and the tool being sharp-f ened.

The end ofv top:10 is bent downwardly to form a aw 13 and theend of base11.;is

bent upwardly to form a jaw 14. Jaws 13' and 14 overlap to grip and holda toolbetween them. The top and base of the gage are held properlyseparated and. substantially parallel by a pin 15. Pin 15 is secured tobase 11. and acts as a stop to prevent the outer jaw 13 from beingdepressed far enough to engage the abrading surface when pressure isapplied to draw-the gage and tool along the abrading surfacein thesharpening operation. I

Inner jaw 14 is formed at such an angle to base 11 that, when a toolblade is clamped between the jawswith itsflatside against jaw 14,v thebladehis heldat the proper sharpening angle relative to the abradingsurface. l

A blade of the tool to be sharpened, which .is illustrated as being'theblade of a pair of shears or scissors, is inserted betweenthe jaws fromthe top downward,.as illustrated in Fig. 3. The dotted line shows theposition of the blade before it is forced betweenthe jaws. The full lineshows'the position of the blade between the j aws in sharpening positionagainst the abrading surface.

To use the gage, the blade of the tool to be sharpened is insertedbetween the top and base above the jaws as shown by the dotted lines ofFig. 3. With the base of the gage resting on the abrading surface,

Using the top of the-gage as a handle, the

base of the gage is drawn along the abrading surface in the direction ofthe arrows and, if desired, the blade of the tool may i be drawn throughthe jaws in the direction of the arrow, while it is pressed to theabrading surface. The abrasion thus takes place from the cutting edge ofthe tool toward the rear thereof and, if the blade is simultaneouslydrawn through the jaws, the

abrasion is diagonal relative to the cutting edge. Thus a good cuttingedge may be produced.

Figs. 4 to 6 show a modified gage wherein a single strip of metal isbent to form a base for engaging the abrading surface 21. One end ofbase 20 is bent into a loop to form an inner jaw 22 and an outer jaw 23.Jaw 22 is at such an angle to base 20 that the tool is held at theproper angle to the abrading surface by the resilient force of the jaws.A U-shaped handle 24: is secured to base 20 to be gripped by theoperator for moving the gage and tool along the abrading surface.

The blade of the tool is inserted and the gage is operated and functionsin the same manner as previously described'for the preferred form. I

The gage provides a simple, cheap and easily operated tool holder. Thebase, engaging a considerable area of the abrading surface, provides aplane surface which always maintains the jaws and, consequently thetool, at the same angle to the abrading surface. The wear of the tool,due to use and successive sharpening, does not affect or change theangle at which the tool is held and applied to the abrading surface. Noadjustments are necessary to obtain the proper angle. The blade ismerely inserted with its flat side against the inner jaw, whereby it isalways brought against the abrading surface at the same angle.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. A tool sharpening gage comprising a single pieceof metal bent to provide a pair of tool holding jaws and a fiat surfacefor sliding along and engaging only the top of an .abrading surface andof sufficient area to invariably maintain a fixed angle between the jawsand the abrading surface regardless of the extent of wear of the toolduring the sharpening process. 7

2. A tool sharpening gage formed from a single piece of metal which isbent into a loop to provide a plane surface for engaging the top of anabrading surface and a handle above the plane surface, the ends of thepiece of metal being bent inwardly to overlap to form a pair of toolholding jaws which maintain the tool at a fixed angle to the planesurface.

3. A tool sharpening gage formed from a single piece of metal whose endsare bent toward each other and overlap to provide a pair of tool holdingjaws, the intermediate body of metal being formed into a loop. whosebottom provides a plane surface to be moved along the top of an abradingsurface to maintain the jaws and surface at a fixed angle, and whose topprovides a handle for o erating the gage.

4:. tool sharpening gage comprising a pair of overlapping resilient jawsfor holding a tool, the jaws being interconnected by a resilient loopshaped body providing a plane surface for engaging an abrading surfaceand a'handle for operating the gage, and a stop for preventing excessivecompression of the loop.

5. A tool sharpening gage comprising a single piece of metal having itsends bent to. overlap to form a pair of tool holding jaws and theintermediate body bent into a loop to form a plane surface at a fixedangle to the jaws and for engaging and sliding along the abradingsurface to maintain the jaws and abrading surface at a fixed angle toeach other during'the relative movement therebetween to sharpen thetool.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name.

BENJAMIN KLEIN.

